‘The Avengers 2′ Will Have More Hulk; Filming Halfway Done

Despite the fact that Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk was one of the very first entries into Marvel Studios’ cinematic universe, the regular recasting of Bruce Banner means that Mark Ruffalo has yet to be given a chance to shine in his own standalone Hulk movie. Both the mild-mannered scientist and the big green guy had some great and memorable moments in The Avengers but with so many superheroes fighting for screen time, Bruce wasn’t given too much in the way of a character arc.

Given the meager box office performance of the two most recent Hulk movies (neither of which grossed more than $265 million worldwide) it’s safe to say that The Incredible Hulk 2 isn’t high on Marvel’s list of priorities, despite Lou Ferrigno’s optimistic statements to the contrary. For the foreseeable future, at least, team-up movies are going to the Hulk’s only time to shine.

Upcoming sequel The Avengers: Age of Ultron isn’t exactly less busy than the first move when it comes to characters, especially since super-powered twins Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are going to be joining the fray. In an interview with Total Film, however, Ruffalo said that Bruce and his big green counterpart won’t end up getting sidelined amid all the action.

“[My role's] even bigger than last time, and it’s more complex and it has more layers and a bit more arc… I’m really tripping on the technology of this motion-capture stuff… now I just completely embrace it and see it as this other exciting place we can go as performers.”

In order to ensure the most expressive angry faces possible in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ruffalo enlisted the help of mo-cap character expert Andy Serkis, who is currently also working on bringing animals to life in adaptations of The Jungle Book and Animal Farm. Even more exciting than the technology involved, however, is the promise that Bruce Banner will get more of a complex character arc in this sequel.

The first set photos from The Avengers: Age of Ultron emerged earlier this year, showing a set-up on the streets of Johannesburg with panicking extras and vehicular destruction. Several months later production is far from completed, but according to director Joss Whedon it’s at least closer to the end than the start. In an update on his Twitter feed, Whedon announced, “Halfway through shooting! Think I’m holding up better than usual.”

Filming this sequel has meant quite a bit of international travel for Whedon and the Avengers, since production has taken them to London, Johannesburg, Seoul and Aosta Valley in Italy. According to the most recent plot rumors, The Avengers: Age of Ultron will see the team trying to effectively take over from S.H.I.E.L.D. in the aftermath of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, with Tony Stark bankrolling new uniforms and an army of Iron Man drones for the purposes of international policing.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron is intended to be the first of Marvel’s two 2015 summer releases, continuing this year’s theme of having a sequel followed by a more risky new franchise. Let’s hope that Marvel manages to find a new director for Ant-Man soon, or The Avengers: Age of Ultron could end up being the studio’s only tentpole for next summer.

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Great for Hulk! The big guy deserves it. I agree with Hawkeye with you, he should have more interaction with the team or Black Widow alone. I was thinking that team roster where Cap was the leader and Hawkeye, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were in the team. Seeing those four assemble together in film will be awesome!

I remember when the team in the comics was Cap as leader, with Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Goliath (Hank Pym) and Wasp were the team, with frequent guest appearances from Black Widow (who was much different than portrayed in the movie, as was Hawkeye for that matter). That was about my favorite grouping of Avengers, although i have always been a big fan of iron Man in The Avengers comics as well.

Yeah, he’ll be the new Coulson! So he’ll be getting his own tv show next fall (2015) where Kree blood serum brings him back to life; or no, this time it’ll be Skrull blood serum & he’ll end up having shape-changing powers. Whooof!

That would be cool, but I think the Guardians button scene will probably have something to do with Earth. You know, to show the connection to the rest of the MCU, and also to tease events to come. Maybe something like Thanos eyeing Earth, or maybe even something with the Inhumans. So little is known at this point, the possibilities are endless!

The after credits (trailer) at the end of Captain America – The First Avenger was the most awesome trailer I have ever seen. To finally see how all of them together on screen was incredible. I still get chills when I see it.

Could be, i’m kinda new to guardians but they where featured in a cartoon series where there frequently linked and teamed up with the avengers so there likely be heavy links in story and future crossovers like them appearing or featuring in avengers 2-3 especially since the villians besides loki in the first avengers where aliens and there setting up thanos in the avengers post credits and supposedly briefly on screen but referenced alot throughout guardians which shows hes being built for future/bigger things which would be a great villian and they teamed in the animated series to face galaxtus which is a villain of a similar scale.

lots of good comments on that the ant-man. needless to say avengers 2 at this point
should be only marvel film next year so that way phase 2 gets capped off on a great note rather then followup with antman being a dud because of the mess they are in.

yeah they have to bring it on in a bigger fashion. MOS raised the ante up on action
special effects,sound and visual effects. i like hearing that ultron’s attack will
affect the entire planet and with the indirect introduction of 2 xmen (miracles)
in quicksilver and scarlet witch this should be interesting film.

Lets hope he actually does something worthwhile then this time because he was barely in the first one and didn’t really have much impact other than a sarcastic exchange with Stark and the punch/saving Iron Man combo (really don’t understand why people say he was incredible in the first Avengers film, it’s like saying SHIELD Agent #3 was a scene stealer too).

It’s called subtlety, I use it all the time with women. It makes the beast that much more effective when unleashed. The most impressive action sequences in the movie, or at least my favorite, were the infighting, especially the Hulk vs Thor scenes. But I don’t have all day to be a critic, just enjoying my childhood dreams coming to life=]

I thought they had the right amount of Hulk in the first one, such that his moments had weight when he did something.

But if he’s getting more time, then somebody’s gonna have to get less. Especially since they’re adding two central characters in Scarlett Witch and Quicksilver and a villain that hasn’t already been introduced, unlike Loki in the first one. And Renner probably complained his way into more stuff for Hawkeye too.

He complained right after the release of The Avengers. He said “I want the Hawkeye I signed on for”, and I honestly feel his pain, but really now? Hawkeye is to the Avengers as Aquaman is to the Justice League. He fits a niche need.

I agree. We need more Magneto’s kids and less everyone else. Yet it seems that they will have the short stick. Hulk, Hawkeye and Widow roles were extended more than in the first movie. Couldn’t they just killed Hawkeye and Widow at the start and gave more time to twins? :/ Isn’t it the end of the world scenario, Ultron and all that?

I would not be opposed to Hulk’s actions in Avengers 2 leading up to a Planet Hulk film. But I also want Dr. Strange, Captain Marvel and Black Panther stand alone movies. Include The Falcon on the roster with Vibranium wings and the Avengers roster is complete to me. I don’t think you need anyone else on the team for a few years LOL.

The Hulk didn’t need another sequel simply because there’s only so much you can do with a man that gets angry and turns into a green monster just to destroy whatever makes him mad. The Avengers really is the Hulk’s only chance to be in a Marvel film from now on because he actually complements the group of heroes quite nicely. They can still do a lot with him that we haven’t seen yet and although I’ve never been that big a fan of the Hulk films, I did get pretty excited when he was helping fight the enemies in The Avengers. I say bring it on with more Hulk for the next Avengers.

the appeal of the Hulk to people is the revenge concept/theme…everyone who’s ever been bullied. kicked, stepped on…in life wishes they had the momentary strength to Hulk out & smash their tormentors. If Marvel writers are smart they’d be wise to explore & exploit this theme in a Hulk film. Meaning feature a tie-in with kid(s) being bullied, common people being stepped on…& incorporate it within the story. You can even introduce she hulk as a balancing force in Bruce’s life. A well written & clever story involving the leader as villain pushing the Hulk to physical limits-(amongst a backdrop of a greater planetary scale threat…)-where even a fraction of his real power is shown–will convince N Fury to bring him into a team structure to protect the earth from existential threats.–This is the reason why the character doesn’t fare well at the box office..they miss the Hulk’s appeal & how it ties in to today’s societal issues.

In some respects, those are the themes that were used to give the late 70′s Hulk TV series some success. When they stayed true to a blending of revenge/justice, as Hulk would invariably carry out Banner’s animus at the moment of hulking out, the bad guys were done for. Scale up the every-man’s story against the backdrop of a larger plot point (with hulk sized stakes with a good villain) & you have an excellent recipe for a Hulk film. Also true, as with most Marvel properties, is you have 50+ years of story ideas in the comics themselves.

The Incredible Hulk is my favorite Marvel Phase 1 film (the 1st Iron Man doesn’t count; it’s more like the Ground Zero film for Marvel Studios) & I enjoyed all of them. I’m still amazed it (TIH) wasn’t more successful. Mind you, considering that these big films often benefit from a strong Family audience turnout, it isn’t odd that some parents chose not to let their kids see it (my speculation here…).

Who knows? If our raging hero makes a continued good impression on audiences via The Avengers films, maybe our hopes for the Green Goliath’s return to solo big screen action won’t be for nothing after all.

You’re so damn right about Bill Bixby’s appeal as a man, character & actor w/ L Ferrigno in the Hulk tv show. He seemed a benevolent & kind person. I often hear people say you can’t have a 2 hour movie of Hulk raging & smashing stuff–no one wants that. People want a balanced smart story that showcases where the Hulk can be useful..along with his conflicted nature. It can be done. Personally, I didn’t like the two Thor movies a great deal, I like both cap movies..of course the Avengers & Ironman. I’m looking forward to GOTG, A2, CapIII–just write good stories & people will show up.

The problem, I think, is one of will. A successful Hulk film perforce must be a thinking man’s action film. In a strange way, a good Hulk film can’t follow the Marvel film style of light & humorous. Instead, it needs to go (at least to some extent) the DC route, most notable the MoS tone, in part anyway. Here’s why:

Both Superman & Hulk’s origins/nature are deeply tragic. Though with Hulk, that tragic tone can never be distanced from, while Superman can. Hulk can never escape his “curse”, which only gets worse (tho contrasted with his developing coping strategies, like being an Avenger for instance). A Hulk film can have some funny, but it can never forget that it’s more a Horror drama with action candy coating. Maybe Marvel is afraid of being too serious (at least we get exactly that kind of film with TIH + its 45 minutes of deleted scenes, without which its heart pumps with anemic blood). Anyway, I’m hopeful they’ll crack that nut some day.

There hasn’t been a Marvel film I haven’t liked since Iron Man ’08. Even my least favorites, Cap 1 & Thor 1, are films I enjoy. Key to their success has been the magic ratio of myth, character & humor sprinkled with the fairy dust of modern design & effects. A successful Hulk film needs a different magic ratio.

Marvel is gonna make some money off of me again! I know I will buy Avengers 2, Ant-Man, Cap 2, Thor 2, GOTG, the current Spiderman movie and the X-Men: DOFP flix, just to name a few (and of course Supes vs. Bats when available, even though it is DC). I will also be buying all of the Agents of Shield and Arrow (DC again, I know) series when available as well. My wallet is gonna have racing stripes and skid-marks…and not just because I carry it in my back pocket!

Cap 2 is ok, Thor 2 is *hit, AoS is is even bigger *hit, Arrow is ok(for what what it was but collection, really? It aint Breaking Bad), Spiderman and X-men are good and other movies didn’t even come out yet you still want to buy them. You don’t care about quality of the movies and just want to spend money on something ?))

Thor 2 was a fine superhero film. The villains were pretty lackluster but the Thor/Loki storyline that was the film’s heart and soul was rock solid. Captain America 2 was excellent, it actually had the guts to tackle contemporary issues and turned Cap into a legitimate action hero.

What if the last fight scene in Avengers 2 is Hawkeye shooting Ultron and no effect on him and destroying Hawkeye just like Taychon said. The Avengers swarm Ultron to discover his weakness is inside his body. And after the Avengers are helpless, Hawkeye shoots the thing inside his body to destroy him. A la The Incredibles.